Ignitor for internal-combustion engines.



E. G. WAYNIAN. IGNITOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

" APPLICATION FILED APR. l. 1914.

Patented May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

vwemtoz E. G. WAYMAN.

IGNITOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR-1.1914.

. Patented May 30,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E G. WaYmaN To all whom it may concern EDMUND G. WAYMAN, OI? SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR T WAYMAN-AIKEN ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY INCORPORATED, 0F WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

i IGNITOR FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed April 1, 1914. Seria1No.828,850.

Be it known that I, EDMUND Gr. WAYMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignitors for Internal-Combustion Engines, of

which the following is a specification, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawmgs.

This invention relates to improvements in ignitors for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to that. class of ignitors of the make and break type.

An object of this invention is the provision of an ignitor of the make and break type in which'one or both of the ignitors of the electrodes may be slidably mounted in the ignitor plug, so that upon compression in the engine cylinder, the circuit is broken by moving one of the electrodes away from the other. 7

Another. object of this invention is the provision of an ignitor of this character,

which is simple in construction, whereby it maybe cheaply; manufactured, and one which will be very efficient in use.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the preferred form of my ignitor, showing the same connected in a cylinder of'an engine; and Figs. 2, 3, 4:, and 5, are vertical sectional views of alternative forms of my device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of my ignitor consists of .a plug 1 which is adapted for engagement in an opening 2 in an engine cylinder 3, the plug having a plurality of bores extending therethrough designated by the numerals 4, 5, and 6. Mounted on the outer end wall of the plug 1 is a block 7 which is composed of fiber or other nonconducting material, and mounted on the plug is a contact plate 8, the free end of which is disposed in alinement with the bore 4 in the plug, one of the lead wires 9 0f Specification of Letters Patent.

' the contact plate 8.

Patented the. circuit being connected to the contact plate 8. Disposed in and insulated from the bore 6 is a conducting rod 1.0, the outer end of which is threaded for the reception of a nut 11, which connects the other leadwire 9 of the circuit to the rod 10, and connectedv to the inner end of the rod is a stationaryelectrode 12, the extremity of which is disposed below the bore 5 in the plug. Slidably mounted in the bore 5 and in electric contact with the walls of the bore is a plunger 13 to the lower end of which is conneoted the movable electrode 1.4: which is normally adapted to rest upon the electrode 12. To maintain the plunger in the lower end of the bore, an expansion spring 15 is mounted in the bore, the lower end of the spring bearing against the plunger 13, the

upper end of the spring engaging a plug 16 which closes the upper end of the bore. The bore 4 is enlarged adjacent its lower end to form a chamber 17 in which a plunger 18 is mounted for reciprocation, and projecting upwardly from the plunger is a contact rod 19, the upper end of which projects outwardly through a plug 20 in the upper end of the bore4 below the contact plate 8. This plunger also moves in electric contact'with the walls of the bore. A spring 21 which is of less tension. than the spring 15 is also mounted in the bore 4 to normally force the plunger 18 downwardly to maintain the upper end of the contact rod 19 spaced from The operation of the preferred form of my device is asfollows: Upon the compression stroke of the piston, (not shown), in

the cylinder 3 of the engine, the compresslon forces the plunger 18 outwardly so that the rod 19 engages the plate 8 to allow the-circuit to pass through the plug, and as the compression in the cylinder becomes greater, the plunger 13 is moved outwardly in the bore 5 against the action of the spring 15 which is of greater tension than the spring 21, thereby moving the electrode 14 away from the stationary electrode 12, to create a spark in the usual manner and explode the mixture in the cylinder 3. It will be understood that as the piston makes its stroke in the cylinder of the engine, the compression is relieved, the plungers 13 and 18 return the plug in this form being provided with only two bores 3 and 4, the bore 3 being of relatively greater diameter than the bore 4. A conducting rod 5 is disposed in and insulated from the walls of the bore 4 and is connected to'one of the lead wires in the usual manner at its outer end, the inner end of the rod carrying the stationary electrode 6, theend of which is disposed below the bore 3. A contact plate 7 extends through I the wall of the plug near its outer end, the

inner end of the pin extending into the bore I 3 and the outer end thereof being connected to the other lead wire of the circuit.

This contact plate .7" is insulated in its passage through the wall of the plug. Slidably mounted within the bore 3 and in electric "continuity with the Walls of the bore is -a plunger 8* which is provided with a central opening 9 andv a depending peripheral flange 10, "and in electric continuity with the body of the flange and'dispo sed within the flange 10 .is the upper end of a plunger 11, the lower end of which extends below the lower extremity of the flange 10, and connected to the lower end of the plunger 11 is adepending electrode 12 which is normally adapted to engage the electrode 6. The plunger 11 is provided with a pair of laterally extending lugs 13 to limit downward movement of the flange 10. To normally hold the plungers in their lowermost positions, a spring 14 is disposed through the opening 9 in the plunger 8, the lower end of the spring engaging the upper end of the plunger 11, and the upper end of the spring 14 engaging the under face of a plug15 end of the bore 3. A similar spring 16 engages the upper end of the plunger 10 and the under face of the plug 15, the spring 16 being of relatively weakeritension than the spring 14, and normally hold-.

ing the plunger 10 downwardly against the lugs 13 of the plunger 11. As in the "structure of Fig. 1, electric continility between the plungers 'and the body of the plug may, if desired, be established through,

and if preferred .solely through, these springs.

When compression is formed in the cylinder '2, the plunger 10 is moved =upwardly against the action of the spring 16 so that the same engages the contact pin 7 to allow the circuit to pass through the plug,' .and. upon greater compression in the gaged upon the electrode 5.

I provided with two bores 2 which closes the upper.

spring 12.

still another form of my device in which a stationary electrode and a movable electrode are employed, and inthis form, the

plug 1 is inserted in the cylinder 2, and the conducting rod 3 is mounted in and in sulated from-the bore 4, the lower end of the rod carrying an electrode 5, the end of which is, disposed below a second bore 6 formed in the 6, the plunger carrying the electrode -8 upon its lower face, which is normally en- A spring 9 engages the upper end of the plunger 7' to normally force the same downwardly within the bore 6 and, in this form of the device, the circuit is normally closed, and upon compression in the cylinder, the plunger 7 is moved upwardlyto space the electrode 8 from the electrode 5 and thereby cause a spark to explode the mixture in the cylinder 2.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have illustrated still another form of my device in which both of, the electrodes are movable. In this form of my device, the plug 1 is and 3, the bore 3 having an insulating bushing 4 mounted therein, and within such insulated bushing a conducting bushing 13 against the action of the spring plug. A plunger or piston 7 b is disposed in the lower end of the bore the bore being en:

larged at its lower end to form a chamber 5. A plunger 6 is mounted in the chamber, which has an electrode 7 connected to its lower end, the free end of the electrode being disposed below the bore 2. A spring 8 is provided to normally maintain the plunger 6 in its lower position in the chamber 5, and the lower end of the bore 2 is also enlarged ,at its lower end to provide a chamber 9, the upper wall of the chamber 9 being disposed above the upper wall of the chamber 5. A plunger 10 is also mounted in the chamber 9, the plunger carrying on its lower end a depending electrode 11, and the plunger 10 is forced downwardly against the lower wall of the chamber 9 by the action of the expansion The lowermost extremity of the electrode 11 is normally spaced from the electrode 7 substantially the] same distance as the space between the upper end of the plunger 6jand the upper wall of the chamber 5, andthef spring 12 is of slightly greater tension than the spring 8, so that upon compression in the cylinder, the plunger 6 will first be moved upwardly to engage the electrode 7 with'the electrode 11 and to make the circuit between the electrodes. When the plunger6 is in this position, with its upper end engaged against the upper wall of the chamber 5, the upward movement thereof is limited, and I upon greater compression in the cylinder, the plunger 10 is moved upwardly in its cham-, ber 9 to break the circuitbetween the electrodes and cause a spark to explode the mixture in the cylinder. 1

In Fig. 5 of the drawlngs, I have shown another manner of constructing my ignitor in which both electrodes are movable, and in this form, the plug 1 is provided with a pair of bores 2 and 3 and mounted in the bore 2 is an insulating bushing 4, the bore of the bushing being enlarged at its lower end as at 5 to form a chamber for the reception of a-plungerii to the upper end of which a conducting rod 7 is connected, the conducting rod projecting above the upper end of the plug and having a nut 8 mounted thereon to limit the downward movement of the plunger. "An electrode 9 is carried by the lower end of the plunger 6 the electrode being ofi'set and having its extremity disposed below the bore 3. The lower end of the bore 3 is enlarged to provide a chamber 10 in which a plunger 11 is mounted,

of the opening 4r A block 14c is connected to the upper end of the plug 1, the block carrying a contact plate 15 which is disposed above the rod 7 and normally spaced from the upper end thereof.

Theoperation of this form of my device is as follows: Upon compression in the cylinder, the piston 6 is moved upwardly until the upper extremity of the conducting rod 7 engages the contact plate 15 whereupon the circuit between the electrode is made, and upon greater compression in the cylinder, the plunger 11. is moved upwardly above theplunger 6 thereby breaking the circuit between the electrodes and causing a spark to explode the mixture in the cylinder.

Having thusfullytdesc'ribed my-invention, what I desire to secure and claim by Letters Patent, is:

I. In an i engines the combination of a cylinder, two motor elements arranged in the wall of said cylinder and movable therein inresponse to changes in pneumatic pressure within said cylinder, means limiting the traverse of one of said motor elements While the other remains movable, and a sparking device opgnitor for internal combustion erated after the movement of one of the movable elements is arrested and by the movement of the other element.

2. In an ignitor for internal combustion engines the combination with the engine cylinder of two bores formed in the Wall of said cylinder and opening into the cylinder chamber, a motor element in each bore and movable therem under pneumatic pressure,

the range of movement of one of said motor elements being greater ,than that of the other, and a sparking device operated by the said plunger being slidably mounted in said adjacent bore, means yieldingly urging the plunger outward to bring its electrode against said stationary electrode, a stationary, contact carried by the cylinder wall in alinement with the third of said bores, a plunger mounted in said third bore and having a movable contact connected thereto, and a spring mounted in the said third bore for engagement against the last mentioned plunger to maintain the movable contact in spaced relation from the stationary contact, as and for the purpose described.

4. In an ignitor for internal combustion engines the combination with the cylinder of the engine of. a pair of bores formed in the cylinder wall, a conducting rod mounted in one of said bores, an electrode carried by one end of said conducting rod and having its free end disposed in alinement with the other of said bores, a stationary contact projecting through the cylinder wall and into the other of said bores, a movable contact mounted in the other of said bores, a spring disposed in the other of said bores to engage said movable contact and maintain the'same in spaced relation from the stationary contact, a plunger slidably mounted in the other of said bores and carrying an electrode on one end thereof for normal engagement with the first mentioned electrode, and a second spring mounted in said other bore for engagement against said plunger to normally hold the movable electrode against said stationary electrode, as and for the purpose described.

5. In an ignitor for internal combustion engines the combination with thecylinder of the engine of a pair of bores formed in the cylinder wall, an insulating bushing mounted in one of said bores, the bore of said bushing being enlarged at one end to form a chamber, a plunger slidably mounted in said chamber, an electrode carried by one .slidably" mounted in the last mentioned chamber and having a depending contact disposed in 'alineme'nt with the free end of the first mentioned contact and normally spaced therefrom, and a spring mounted in the other of said bores for engagement against the last mentioned plunger to normally maintain the same in its lowermost position, the last mentioned spring being of slightly greater tension than the first mentioned spring, as and for the purpose described.

6. In an ignitor for internal combustion engines the combination with the cylinder wall of a bore in said wall opening into the cylinder chamber, a stationary contact piece extending into said bore, two members movable within sald bore in response to pneumatic pressure in the cylinder and moving in succession as such pneumatic pressure increases, one ofsaid movablemembers forming with said stationary contact piece a make-and-break device in an electric circuit and the other of the two said movable members bearing an electrode, and a second electrodeborn'e by said cylinder wall with which electrode the electrode borne by the movable member as aforesaid is normally in contact.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND G. WAYMANa Witnesses:

JOHN J.-WALKER, JAMES T. SHEEKEY. 

